Page 89 of The Queen's Line

I smiled at that and the way Wendell was leaning his weight into us both. "You missed this, didn't you? All these weeks without getting to be this other part of yourself? Wendell, you were never at any risk with me."

Wendell continued to purr as I sank to my knees, although it was closer to a roar than the sweet rumble the castle cats made when they sat next to my chair at dinner and begged with wide eyes.

"I think you both know you are welcome to express your love for one another however you choose in my court, and that includes your second natures," I said, digging my fingers through Wendell's fur, feeling the rough vibration of his purr thrumming in my fingers. "I am sorry we didn't find time to say as much earlier."

The sensation of their magic against my hands was like the needle pricks of blood rushing back into a limb, and I held my breath as Wendell's handsome face and full smile appeared before me.

"I'm the only one who owes you an apology," he started, the blue in his eyes a perfect match for the tiger's.

"You don't!" I rushed ahead of him. "You areallmy Chosen as much as you wish to be. I don't want to hold dominion over you, you owe me no explanations."

Wendell's eyes slid to Thao briefly and then back to me. "That goes both ways, Bryony. Thao and I are yours as much as you desire us to be."

My breath slid into my chest, and it was full of them both, just a hint of the animal still left on the air, as well as Thao's spice and Wendell's clean aroma.

Thao scooted closer on his knees, an arm moving around my hips. "It's not our title as Chosen that gives you power over us, Bryony. You gained that yourself with your kindness, your beauty."

"Your care and open heart," Wendell added gently.

"Your ability to tell me when I'm being a terrible lover and friend," Thao added, cutting through the tightness in my chest to make me laugh.

My head fell back with the giddy sound, and then it strangled in my throat as Thao leaned in, his mouth pressing to my shoulder and neck, wet open kisses pressed over my skin. Wendell rose up on his knees, his hands framing my ribs and pulling me into his chest.

"It's said that the Hunger's magic has a harder time affecting shifters and sorcerers," Wendell said as Thao continued to dress my neck and shoulders in kisses, shifting slowly to press against my back, pinning me between them.

"I didn't—" I gasped as Wendell's thumbs swiped over the underside of my breasts through my dress. "I didn't want to come between you."

"Hmm…maybe notbetweenthe first time," Thao murmured, and I laughed and turned my head to bump it against his, craning my neck for another kiss.

His kisses were deep, starving things, and I was already being devoured when it occurred to me to feel shy for doing so in front of Wendell, but that passed quickly. Wendell gasped as I moaned, his hips pressing hard into me, letting me feel the growing ridge of his excitement through my skirts.

I found it easier to forget about the Hunger from one moment to the next lately. The more I grew used to my magic, the easier it was to ignore the way it seemed to lurk at the edges, just waiting for the opportunity to be fed. I wasn't sure if what Wendell said was true, if he and Thao would be less affected by the Hunger's demands, but I was too busy being consumed between them to try and control my power.

With Thao taking control of my lips, pulling me along to his demanding rhythm, Wendell was free to taste the kisses Thao had left behind on my neck. Wendell licked softly at my skin, breathing over the marks and drawing out goosebumps as cooler air breezed over. His hands stroked my sides in soft passes up and down. I'd given up wearing corsets because it was too wonderful to feel a hand against my side rather than the bite of boning, and I swooned into his skimming touches as they teased around my breasts.

With some unspoken command, the men lifted me from the carpet, my shoulders braced against Thao, as Wendell pulled me up to straddle his lap, squeezing roughly at my ass and making me cry out into Thao's mouth. Suddenly, the grazing gentleman was gone, Wendell rocking up between my hips, his palms gripping on their way up to clasp my breasts and massage them roughly.

"Yes!" I gasped, pulling away from the kiss, wrapping my arm around Thao's shoulders as I met Wendell's churning hips with my own, the friction muffled by too much fabric and leaving me whimpering and squirming.

I'd lost track of Thao's hands, until I felt his knuckle graze against my spine and I realized he was undressing me. Wendell's head lifted from my shoulder, and I pressed forward, arching for his kiss. He was perfect in contrasts, his hands firm and claiming, even as his kiss was gentle and explorative, a steady groan of pleasure echoing against my begging lips.

Thao wrestled down the bodice of my dress, and they both pulled away for a moment, Wendell leaning back and staring down at my breasts with a glazed and happy expression that made me laugh.

Thao's hands passed up and down my back, warming my skin in slow passes. "What do you want, Bryony? Tell us how to please you."

"You do please me," I said, simply enjoying the trance of Wendell's stare for the moment. I wasn't especially plentiful when it came to my breasts, but he was watching me catch my breath with absolute interest, his tongue flicking out over his bottom lip.

"He's very good with his mouth," Thao whispered in my ear, reaching around to pluck my nipples to points. "And he would look so pretty with his ass in the air and his face between your thighs."

"Oh! Yes," I said, nodding loosely. "Yes, that's what I want. I want him to make me wet for your cock."

I was already wet, but my suggestion made both men groan, Thao leaning away to part the gauze surrounding the pillowed mattress. "Get her onto the bed."

Wendell's arms went around my hips, his movements clumsy as he wobbled us over the few feet to the bed, my hair and skirts tangling with the thin netting around the bed. I laughed as I fell onto the dense mattress with anoofof breath, Wendell rising up briefly to stare down at me, his hair rumpled. Then he dove down again, lips latching onto a bare breast with a moan. I arched and joined him in the sound, my eyes falling shut, and then giggled as Thao fumbled with the latch of one of my shoes and the lace of a stocking at the same time.

"Tastes like spun sugar," Wendell gasped, pulling away.

"I do not," I laughed, wiggling backwards as Wendell held my skirt, helping me worm my way out of it.